Two mounted police officers who captured a man armed with a loaded gun at the 2015 Brixton Splash have been nominated for the Metropolitan Police “bravery of the year” award.
Londoners can vote to choose the winners from eight nominations.
The nomination for PCs Lisa Dobson and Caroline Bowness, who are based in Lewisham, says that on Sunday 2 August last year they were patrolling on horseback at the Splash.
Observing a stand-off involving a large group of men, they saw one those in the confrontation flash and conceal a large item.
They also saw him gesturing to a rival group and repeatedly tapped his clothing. Both officers felt that he had a firearm.
While PC Dobson and PC Bowness were alerting nearby colleagues, the man suspected to have the firearm noticed the officers looking in his direction and made off.
Both officers pursued him on their horses through a range of streets and terrain. Finally they used their horses to form a barrier to block the suspect from escaping over a nearby gate at a dead end road.
PC Bowness was able to pin the man to a wall handcuff him from her saddle.
With the help of colleagues, a loaded firearm was recovered.
The arrested man was charged with possession of a firearm, ammunition and criminal damage.
You can watch the officers’ account of the arrest below
